1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to lithium niobate optical waveguides and to channel waveguide electro-optic phase modulators that include sufficient lithium ions such that, when an electrical signal is applied to such a waveguide or modulator, the amplitude of light passing through the waveguide or modulator changes to a desired value substantially within the transient time of the applied electrical signal. This invention also relates to methods of making such optical waveguides and such channel waveguide electro-optic phase modulators.
2. Background of the Invention
Before now, the amplitude of light waves passing through lithium niobate optical waveguides, such as the waveguides used in fiberoptic gyros (FOG's), has failed to change substantially instantaneously to a desired value upon application of an electrical signal to the waveguide. Instead, the amplitudes of such light waves has tended to change gradually, requiring time periods of a few hundred microseconds or more to attain and maintain the desired value. This gradual change of amplitude is sometimes called phase relaxation, and seriously degrades the performance of FOG's containing them.
A need exists for methods for making optical waveguides and for making channel waveguide electro-optic phase modulators that exhibit substantially no phase relaxation and that can therefore improve the performance of FOG's containing them by at least one order of magnitude.